Colditz rewatch 1x10, "Tweedledum"
Mar. 5th, 2012 11:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kindkitThis episode focuses on RAF Wing Commander George Marsh, whom we first see helping the doctor in the infirmary. He devises a plan to escape by faking mental illness in order to be repatriated, and says he will draw on his experience working in an asylum while he was a university student. The plan is reluctantly approved by Pat, the doctor, Preston, and Simon Carter, who are the only people aware that Marsh's "schizoid psychosis" wil be feigned. Marsh is warned that he will have to keep up the act constantly for as long as six months or a year before the Swiss protecting power will be able to repatriate him, and that he can't give up once he's begun because it would ruin the chances of any genuinely mentally ill prisoner being repatriated.
Marsh starts behaving more and more strangely: isolating himself, obsessively playing one gramophone record, talking to the air. Ulmann, suspecting Marsh is feigning, assigns Corporal Hartwig to observe him; Hartwig has a mentally ill brother in an asylum so Ulmann thinks he should be able to spot any deception. Hartwig tests Marsh by humiliating him: breaking the toy airplane he plays with, pouring a bowl of porridge over his head when he ignores an appel (and then bringing him to appel that way, at which point Marsh collapses). Marsh is treated by the doctor for the collapse, and he winks at the doctor--he's still in control.
Marsh's behavior escalates, leading to strain in the barracks; George Brent in particular is fed up with the gramophone playing. After three months of observing Marsh, Hartwig reports that at first he thought Marsh was faking but now he's not sure.
Finally, when Marsh disrupts a full-dress Appel for visiting German high officers by parading in a paper hat and wetting himself, he's taken to a civilian hospital for observation and the process of possible repatriation is begun. We're given a series of images of Marsh's thoughts--a bird, a prisoner vaulting over the wire, an airplane; these recurring images become more fractured each time we see them.
By winter, Hartwig is convinced Marsh is not faking. He gives him a new wooden airplane (which he apparently made himself) to replace the one he broke. Late, when he sees Marsh crying in the courtyard, Hartwig holds him, comforting him, and starts to cry himself.
When the Swiss arrive a couple of months later, Marsh is almost totally unresponsive during the interview; no one can reach him but Hartwig, whom he clings to. He's approved for repatriation, but insists he doesn't want to go ("I live here!") and has to be forced into the car, visibly distressed. After the car leaves we see Hartwig standing alone and miserable.
A month later, the news comes that Marsh has been repatriated. At the same time, the French announce that a French POW who earlier vaulted over the wire got to Spain successfully. During the celebration, Pat, Simon, and the doctor tell Dick and George Brent that Marsh was actually faking it; they're overjoyed at his success until Preston comes in and reads them a letter from Marsh's wife, which says Marsh has been committed to an asylum and there's little hope for his recovery. Preston forbids any future attempt to escape by feigning insanity.
Timeline note: This episode seems to take us through most of 1942 and possibly even into spring 1943. Downing's line during the formal appel about Rommel "not doing too well" suggests autumn 1942 at that point. This episode's timeline may be in conflict with the timing of other episodes, although I haven't checked on that.
Note: As always, spoilers for future episodes are likely to occur in the comments.
Marsh starts behaving more and more strangely: isolating himself, obsessively playing one gramophone record, talking to the air. Ulmann, suspecting Marsh is feigning, assigns Corporal Hartwig to observe him; Hartwig has a mentally ill brother in an asylum so Ulmann thinks he should be able to spot any deception. Hartwig tests Marsh by humiliating him: breaking the toy airplane he plays with, pouring a bowl of porridge over his head when he ignores an appel (and then bringing him to appel that way, at which point Marsh collapses). Marsh is treated by the doctor for the collapse, and he winks at the doctor--he's still in control.
Marsh's behavior escalates, leading to strain in the barracks; George Brent in particular is fed up with the gramophone playing. After three months of observing Marsh, Hartwig reports that at first he thought Marsh was faking but now he's not sure.
Finally, when Marsh disrupts a full-dress Appel for visiting German high officers by parading in a paper hat and wetting himself, he's taken to a civilian hospital for observation and the process of possible repatriation is begun. We're given a series of images of Marsh's thoughts--a bird, a prisoner vaulting over the wire, an airplane; these recurring images become more fractured each time we see them.
By winter, Hartwig is convinced Marsh is not faking. He gives him a new wooden airplane (which he apparently made himself) to replace the one he broke. Late, when he sees Marsh crying in the courtyard, Hartwig holds him, comforting him, and starts to cry himself.
When the Swiss arrive a couple of months later, Marsh is almost totally unresponsive during the interview; no one can reach him but Hartwig, whom he clings to. He's approved for repatriation, but insists he doesn't want to go ("I live here!") and has to be forced into the car, visibly distressed. After the car leaves we see Hartwig standing alone and miserable.
A month later, the news comes that Marsh has been repatriated. At the same time, the French announce that a French POW who earlier vaulted over the wire got to Spain successfully. During the celebration, Pat, Simon, and the doctor tell Dick and George Brent that Marsh was actually faking it; they're overjoyed at his success until Preston comes in and reads them a letter from Marsh's wife, which says Marsh has been committed to an asylum and there's little hope for his recovery. Preston forbids any future attempt to escape by feigning insanity.
Timeline note: This episode seems to take us through most of 1942 and possibly even into spring 1943. Downing's line during the formal appel about Rommel "not doing too well" suggests autumn 1942 at that point. This episode's timeline may be in conflict with the timing of other episodes, although I haven't checked on that.
Note: As always, spoilers for future episodes are likely to occur in the comments.
